Apartment manager facing charges from electrical outage

MANCHESTER, Ky. (WKYT) - Jennie Couch says she and her neighbors spent a very cold Monday afternoon in her Manchester apartment with no power.

"And we didn't get to get out of here until about 6:30 Monday," she said.

The apartment manager, James Oberly, was charged with 19 counts of wanton endangerment.

"I've known him for two years. I've had a couple of rounds..had to call Newport for the way I've been treated before," said Couch.

Police say Oberly waited to call the fire department for 6 hours and someone at first simply said the problem was a false alarm.

"You could tell it was getting cold, Everybody wrapped in blankets," Couch said.

WKYT tried to track down answers. Oberly said over the phone, "no comment." So when our reporter called the firm that owns this complex, he was told those in charge were not available, and when he started to ask to say he wanted to leave a message, they hung up.

Couch says that's the kind of treatment she's used to.

"On the weekend you don't dare knock on that door. Don't matter what happens," she said.

She wants her opinions made clear, regardless of the consequence.

"He's snappy. It's truthful. Don't know if I'll get kicked out or not," she said.

The power didn't come back on until Wednesday and a Kentucky Utilities spokesperson says the problem was on the property owner's side of the meter.

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